


Worst Case Scenario

by calmena



Series: Worse Things [2]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Erik has Issues, Erik is a SHIELD agent, Everyone Has Issues, Gen, M/M, Raven is a SHIELD agent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 10:59:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3526733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calmena/pseuds/calmena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raven is annoyed, Charles is lost - in more ways than one - and Erik is... Erik.</p><p>"I mean really, Raven, what's the worst that could happen?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worst Case Scenario

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from the song of the same name by The Hoosiers.

"I don't know why you tried to keep this a secret from me," Charles said mildly, frowning just a little and turning the cup of watery tea from the break room vending machine in his hands. When she'd gotten it for him he'd taken one sip and grimaced, so chances were he was just keeping the cup to have something to occupy his hands while they talked.

Raven was not taken in by his expression. She was also a little furious, because this was what happened when she tried to do right by her brother, always – he went and destroyed everything. So Charles could go and try to guilt-trip her as much as he wanted, she wasn't going to play along this time.

"I didn't read your mind. It's not my fault Agent MacTaggert decided to sit in on my lectures. And I didn't go out of my way to find out about this, Raven, but she was thinking so _loudly_ -"

"That's what you always say," she cut him off, crossing her arms. The table was a nice focus for her glare, because even she knew that she was a little irrationally angry at the moment, and Charles didn't deserve to face the full scope of it. She couldn't help it, though. Working for SHIELD had only convinced her further that she did not want Charles to be involved with them, if only because of the dangers involved. To see her plans going so gloriously awry because he'd decided to visit them at HQ because Raven had a _scratch_ \- 

"You just can never stay out of other people's minds, can you?"

It was a little cruel, she knew as soon as she said it, but there was no taking it back. Instead, she watched as Charles flinched, and his smile turned a little forced at the corners as he finally put down the tea, but didn't lift his eyes from the paper cup.

"Raven-" Charles tried to reach for one of her hands, but hesitated before he could actually touch it. For a moment his hand hung in the air, awkward in a way Charles usually never was, before he finally pulled it back, going back to the tea. He took a a sip, then seemed to remember how horrible it actually tasted and put it down again. "I- I don't-"

"You don't what? Is this a 'I'm not sure this is a good application of your abilities, Raven'-situation again? Is this you checking out where I work so you can decide whether it's 'right for me'?"

She wanted to take the words back the moment they'd left her mouth, when she saw Charles curl into himself in reaction to the words.

"You're being unfair, Raven," he said, voice soft. "That was different, you treated your mutation like a show act at that bar you worked in, and some of the people- I was-"

"-worried, I know," Raven interrupted, and it felt like he'd stolen all her anger, not with his words but with how small he seemed right then. She knew that if she continued this talk now, she'd feel like she'd kicked a puppy at the end of it, and she still had a mountain of paperwork to get through before she could leave work so she really didn't want that on her mind, too. "Just– go home, Charles, okay? We'll talk later. Do you remember the way? If you want, I can have MacTaggert send someone to bring you to... wherever you left your car."

Charles nodded and smiled. It came out a little more wobbly at the edges than he'd probably aimed for.

It made Raven feel even worse than she already had before.

"Go ahead, I'll find my way," he said, "If worst comes to worst, I'll just ask one of the friendly people in the hallways for the way."

Those last words almost made Raven hesitate. She wasn't sure she wanted to chance Charles running into one of SHIELDs more volatile agents and somehow manage to get himself killed by being his usual obnoxious flirting self, but she really did have to get started on her paperwork if she ever wanted to go on an actual mission again, and she could suppress her guilty conscience enough to admit to herself that she was glad not to have to babysit her brother at her place of work any longer.

"Just don't bother anyone who looks stressed," she finally cautioned, already getting up from the table, "Or anybody who seems like they might shoot you if you talk to them. Actually-"

"I'll be fine, Raven," Charles interrupted, smile more genuine than before. "Go."

 

* * *

 

It annoyed him that most SHIELD personnel tended to treat him like a time bomb waiting to go off. He couldn't fault them for being suspicious, not even for treating him like he was dangerous, but _they_ had come to _him_ , not the other way around, and to be surrounded by people who seemed spooked as soon as he raised an eyebrow at them was... surprisingly irritating. Sparring with new, unsuspecting people took the edge off his anger, but the sheer unfairness of it all was always a low simmer in the back of his mind.

He found himself questioning if they treated all of their most dangerous agents like this or if he was somehow special. Xavier didn't seem to be as critically watched as he was, but then he suspected that was because everyone knew that she had a weak point they could use to keep her even marginally in line if the situation turned critical. Romanov seemed to be feared and respected in equal measures, while everyone seemed to unanimously agree to just stay far away from Barton, to avoid becoming the target of one of his pranks – insofar it was possible, that was, since that man seemed to lurk in air ducts about 90% of the time.

Turning a corner, Erik almost bowled over someone about to do the same.

"Watch where-" he started to snarl, then paused abruptly when he recognized the man who'd followed MacTaggert into the gym before.

Erik knew who he was, of course – like it was possible to work for SHIELD and not be aware of who the most important people in superhero and mutant business were at any given point. Never mind that he was also Xavier's Achilles' heel.

"I'm so sorry," Xavier – and that was going to get confusing pretty quickly if he was going to keep hanging around – apologized, as he adjusted the satchel that had almost slipped from his shoulder at the collision. Then he actually looked up for the first time, and brightened so suddenly Erik felt like he'd accidentally stared into the sun.

"Oh, you're the guy from before! I didn't get the chance to apologize before for interrupting you and Raven during training, but I'm really terribly sorry."

Erik almost grinned at hearing what Xavier and he liked to call "hazing of the newbies and/or idiots" termed "training". Instead, he shrugged.

"It's fine."

He fully expected Xavier – and he really needed to find something to call one or both of them that wasn't their last name – to carry on wherever he'd been going, then. Instead, the man stayed where he was and- fidgeted. It was a strange thing to do for someone who was one of the most influential people concerning mutant rights, and always appeared so self-assured in the media.

Erik drew up his eyebrows. "Is there something else?" he asked despite himself. He had things he was supposed to be doing, he was pretty sure. He did not have the time to babysit Xavier's brother.

He stayed where he was, anyway, and waited for an answer as Xavier – goddammit, this was getting ridiculous – smiled a little helplessly.

"If you don't mind terribly, could you maybe point me towards the exit?" he laughed a little, ears turning just a little red. "I'm afraid I got a little turned around and have quite thoroughly lost my way, and I'd rather not accidentally set off any alarms while I'm here."

That was probably a good idea, SHIELD might just not let him out again if that happened, Erik found himself thinking. He didn't say it – though if Xavier was worth anything as a telepath, he could probably hear his thoughts anyway. The thought left Erik vaguely uncomfortable.

Instead of saying anything, he just nodded and led Xavier to the exit.

 

* * *

 

Charles was waiting for her when Raven came home. It shouldn't have surprised her, but it did. But then, she'd stayed a lot later at work than she'd expected when she'd said that they would talk later, and had been hoping she could get some rest before they had this conversation.

Of course Charles would try to bring it up as soon as possible, she thought exhaustedly, dropping her bag next to the door.

"I'm sorry about how I acted about your old job," Charles immediately said, as if on cue, watching Raven as she took off her shoes and jacket.

Raven sighed, and closed her eyes briefly, "I know I said we'd talk later, but... can we just not do this right now, please?"

When she opened them again, Charles was looking at her with a hangdog expression that made her feel even worse, so she sighed again, and fell onto the couch Charles was already sitting on, turning so she could look at him, "Okay, talk."

Charles looked at her, bright blue eyes large in his face, and blinked, speechless.

"What, did you think you'd apologize, and that'd be it?" she asked, and it slipped out sounding sharper than she'd intended, but suddenly all her exhaustion from work had made a 180 degree turn right back into angry, and he _still_ didn't seem to get what the actual, underlying problem she had with his behavior was. "That's not how it works, Charles."

"But-"

"No, Charles, okay?" she said, already getting up from the couch. "I don't want to do this now. I want to go shower, and then I want to sleep. I _don't_ want to fight or explain or anything else. Just- do me a favor, will you? Stay as away from SHIELD as possible, unless I'm with you."

Pulling his feet onto the couch, Charles nodded, then shrugged. "Okay. I don't know why, but okay. I mean really, Raven, what's the worst that could happen?"

**Author's Note:**

> This feels unfinished somehow. It was also incredibly hard to finish, even if it's just supposed to be a little something to explain the relationships and issues that exist between the characters during the next part in the series - which is mostly planned out, so there'll be more soon-ish.
> 
> Raven's and Charles' relationship – be it sibling-like or one-sided crush – was one thing in the movie that hurt my heart, so it seemed important to keep in the story somehow, even with the change of setting. There won't be a one-sided crush on Raven's side, though.
> 
> As always, feel free to point out mistakes, or even just tell me if there are a lot, so I know to look for a beta for the next part. Also, I really hate English comma rules, I think I always end up using too many, so sorry for that.


End file.
